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Canadians clean up at Paralympic world swim championships

Canadian swimmer Valerie Grand'Maison, shown at the Paralympic Games, won three gold medals at the world championships in Montreal. (Greg Baker / The Associated Press file)

By The Canadian Press

Mon., Aug. 19, 2013

MONTREAL—Montreal’s Valerie Grand’Maison won gold in S13 100-metre freestyle, capping a successful Canadian performance at the International Paralympic Committee world swim championships.

Canadian swimmers collected four medals on Sunday to finish the seven-day event with five gold, six silver and five bronze.

Brianna Nelson of Victoria and Morgan Bird of Calgary added silvers and Aurelie Rivard of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., won bronze of the last day of competition. The 17-year-old Rivard ends the meet as Canada’s most decorated swimmer with five medals, while Nelson and Grand’Maison reached the podium four times each.

Grand’Maison earned her third gold in 1:00.40.

“This was a very special race,” said the 24-year-old Grand’Maison. “It was my last race in Montreal, in the pool where I train and in front of my family. I really wanted to have fun with it.”

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In the women’s S7 200 individual medley, Nikita Howarth of New Zealand took the gold in 3:02.70 seconds, edging Nelson in 3:03.04. Sarah Mehain of Vernon, B.C., was fourth.

“It stings a little bit to be so close to the gold, but I’ve had a great week,” Nelson said. “I wasn’t expecting these kinds of results. I steadily did best times and that was my big goal.”

World record holder Maddison Elliott of Australia won the women’s S8 50 freestyle in 30.31 seconds with Bird collecting silver, for her first individual medal, in a Canadian record 31.73 seconds.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” said Bird. “I went in with the goal to just do my own races. To get a medal is the cherry on the cake.”

Rivard won her fourth individual medal of the competition, third in the S10 50 freestyle in 28.87 seconds. Sophie Pasco of New Zealand broke her world record to win in 27.78.

Competitors in classifications S1 through S10 have a physical limitation, while classifications S11 through S13 are for competitors with a visual impairment. A lower number indicates a more severe condition.

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